Hopelessness was never something he had intended to feel on this trek, although he had exchanged brief glances with it in his own failures. His legs ached with pain greater than he could have ever imagined, and that was on top of the numbness that plagued his limbs.

Still, he pressed onward with his partner, amazed at how far adrenaline and determination could go. What he hadn’t expected after hours of silent understanding however was a meek voice in the wind, shaken by the fear of the sight before him.

"I-I can’t d-do this," It admitted, the smaller weary body falling against his nearly frozen form.

Mithe looked up beyond the last arch before the stretch, the winds howling, the lightning crashing, the snow biting, and then stared down at the boy propped against him.

"There’s nothing we can do but try." Voice devoid of the shaking that nearly had him convulsing, just like his eyes had lost their shimmer long ago. There was nothing here for them, but the only other option was to return to a place they couldn’t call home, or press on — at least try to reach their goal.

Stepping past the arch, the wind ripped fiercely at their scarves, breaking off chunks of petrified fabric and carrying them away.

We have to try, Ammy, we have to try. Don’t give up on me now.

_{journey au of mine & hamlet's ocs}